My Cowboy
by X20556A3
Summary: One of those one-shots, or whatever people call them. Bonnie's perspective of Andy as he donates his old toys to her. She learns not to be afraid of new people, and that age doesn't mean someone can't have fun.


"Don't go in there!" Buttercup shouted. "The bakery is haunted!"

"Are you crazy? You'll wake up all the ghosts!" Dolly warned.

Suddenly, the ghosts came after us. "Look out! The ghosts are throwing pies! _Splat, splat, splat!..._"

I stopped. A stranger with a blue shirt and funny hair was standing outside our gate. I felt scared; I didn't know him or if he was supposed to be here. "Mom?" I said.

"Andy?" Mom asked as she came around from the side of the house.

"Hi!" The stranger opened the gate and walked in, carrying a big brown box. The box said "Attic" on the side of it.

"Wow, look at you!" Mom said. "I hear you're off to college?" I stood behind Mom's legs and let her talk to Andy, since she knew him already.

"Yeah, right now, actually." Andy carried the box and stood in front of Mom.

"So, what can we do for you?" Mom asked.

"Uh, I have some toys here," said Andy.

I was confused. Did he just say "toys?"

"Ooh!" Mom sounded excited. "You hear that, Bonnie?"

Andy looked at me. "So you're Bonnie?" He put the box down and squatted in front of me so he wouldn't look so scary. "I'm Andy. Someone told me you're really good with toys." He looked at the box. "These are mine, but I'm going away now, so I need someone very special to play with them."

I just looked at him. I never knew grown-ups could still have toys.

Andy opened the box and took a toy out. It was a smiling doll with red hair and a hat, wearing pants that looked like cow fur. "This is Jessie, the roughest, toughest cowgirl in the whole west!" He held her out. "She loves critters, but none more than her best pal, Bullseye!" He held out a brown horse in his other hand. "_Neigh! Yeehaw!_" He held them out to me. "Here."

I walked to Andy slowly. He seemed like a nice person after all. I took the toys and straightened Jessie's hat.

"This is Rex." Out of the box came a green dinosaur. "The meanest, most terrifying dinosaur who ever lived! _Rrawwr! Rrrawwr!_"

I laughed and took Rex. He didn't look that scary to me. In fact, he seemed to be smiling at me.

"The Potato Heads." Andy was holding two brown potatoes with arms, feet, and faces. "Mister and Misses." He set the Potato Heads down in front of me. "You gotta keep them together, 'cause they're madly in love."  
Next came a dog, only it had a slinky between its head and tail. "Now Slinky here is as loyal as any dog you'd ever want." And then, a little pink piggy bank. "And Hamm, he'll keep your money safe." Andy dropped a coin into the bank. "But he's also one of the most dastardly villains of all time!" He bounced Hamm in front of me. "Evil Dr. Porkchop!"

Andy put Hamm down and pushed the toys toward me. "These little dudes are from a strange alien world, Pizza Planet!" He gave me three small, green creatures with three eyes and blue suits.

"And this… _Whooooom!_" Andy now held what looked like an astronaut, wearing a white and green spacesuit. "…Is Buzz Lightyear. The coolest toy ever!" He pushed a red button and two wings whooshed out of Buzz's back. "He can fly! Oh, and shoot lasers!" He pressed another button, and a little red light on Buzz's arm lit up. "He's sworn to protect the galaxy from Evil Emperor Zurg!"

Amazed, I took Buzz and touched a button on his suit. "_To infinity! And beyond!_"

Andy smiled and looked at me. "Now, you've gotta promise to take good care of these guys," he told me. He started to sound sad. "They mean a lot to me."

I saw something else in the box. I stood up and looked inside.

"My cowboy!" I said happily. Inside the box was the cowboy I found a few days ago at Sunnyside!

Andy saw the cowboy as well, and looked confused. "Woody? What's he doing in there?" He lifted the cowboy out and put his hat back on.

"There's a snake in my boot!" I said. I remembered hearing that when I pulled the string in Woody's back.

"Wha…" Andy grabbed the string and pulled it back.

"_There's a snake in my boot!_"

I laughed again and reached for my cowboy, but Andy kept him away from me. I was sad. Why didn't he want to give Woody to me?

Andy looked sad again. "Now Woody… he's been my pal for as long as I can remember. He's brave, like a cowboy should be, and kind, and smart."

I kept watching Andy.

"But the thing that makes Woody special, is that he'll never give up on you, ever. He'll be there for you, no matter what."

Now I understood. Andy didn't to be without Woody. He didn't want to be a grown up like Mommy or Daddy, and not have fun like I always did.

"You think you can take care of him for me?"

I gave Andy a nod. Woody could trust me. He definitely had a friend in me.

"Okay, then." Andy let me take Woody. I laughed again and hugged my new cowboy friend.

Just then, Andy snatched up the piggy bank Hamm. "Oh, no! Dr. Porkchop is attacking the haunted bakery! _Psshew-psshew-psshew!_"

I joined in. "The ghosts are getting away! Woody'll stop them!"

Andy picked up Buzz and started running. "Buzz Lightyear to the rescue!"

And with that, Andy and I began playing. We played together for hours. It was wonderful. Even though Andy was big and grown up now, he was still a kid deep down, just like me. It made me understand that I didn't have to be afraid of everyone I didn't know, that there's more good in people that you just can't notice unless you're brave enough to see for yourself. I was so glad I got to meet Andy, because he made me that brave.

Finally, Andy had to leave. As he got in his car, he gave me one last wave. I waved back, and picked up Woody's arm and made him wave too. Andy stopped. His sad face came back, and then he got in his car. As much as he wanted to, he simply couldn't be a kid anymore. He had to be a brave grown-up himself now.

I watched sadly as my new friend drove away.

Mom opened the door behind me. I turned around, cheering up. "Look, Mommy! They're all playing together."

Mom laughed and picked me up. "Come on Bonnie. Let's get some lunch."

_So long, friend,_ I thought to myself as Mom carried me inside. I'll bet Andy's old toys were thinking the same thing, too.


End file.
